Bordetella organisms: The most important species in this genus is B. pertussis, the organism which causeswhooping cough. This highly contagious bacterium makes its way into the respiratory tract via inhalation andsubsequently binds to and destroys the ciliated epithelial cells of the trachea and bronchi. It does this through the use ofseveral toxins: B. parapertussis is a respiratory pathogen that can cause mild pharyngitis. This bacterium is similar toB. pertussis but lacks some of the toxins which make its sibling so nasty. Bordetella bronchiseptica is usually acause of pneumonia, otitis media, and other respiratory infections in animals.